Joseph Parker is aiming to make some boxing history on February 22 when he challenges IBF heavyweight champ Daniel Dubois. Parker, a former WBO champ, aims to become the first New Zealand-Samoan fighter to win two versions of the heavyweight title. Speaking with The Herald in New Zealand, Parker says he didn’t fully appreciate being a world champion back in 2016 when he defeated Andy Ruiz to become WBO heavyweight ruler and that he wasn’t as serious as he should have been in the gym.
This time, Parker says, it will be different. Parker, on a great, career-reviving roll, this achieved after his at the time possibly career-ending (at least at elite level) stoppage loss to Joe Joyce. Parker has handled Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang, both big punchers, and now he says he “can’t wait” to fight Dubois, who we all know can crack himself.
“I can’t wait for this,” Parker said of the upcoming fight with Dubois. “The first time I became world champion I was very young. I did appreciate it, but I didn’t take it as seriously as I should have in training and what I was doing outside of camp. Being champion of the world at the age of 24 was a great achievement but now is the better time. This time is very different. I’m a lot more mature. I appreciate the position I’m in I love what I’m doing. I understand it a lot more and I have a good balance. It’s time for me to go out there and win it again.”
Parker is one of the nicest, most likeable people in the sport, but this will not help him against Dubois. It’s a great match-up, between two proven fighters, with both coming off very good wins. Dubois shocked plenty of us by the way he destroyed Anthony Joshua (who holds a 2018 decision win over Parker) and now he and his trainer Don Charles are looking to keep the momentum going, keep it building. This fight, his second title defence, will see Dubois have a potentially tough night’s work.
Dubois has looked like a different fighter after bouncing back from that stoppage loss to Joyce, as has Parker. These two have it all to prove once again in February. Parker is sounding about as confident and assured of victory as is possible, and the same can be said of Dubois.
We could get a great heavyweight fight with this one. Perhaps Dubois-Parker will prove to the the fight of the night when that stacked card goes down in Riyadh.